DIY 'angel eyes'

[william_liu]

A related link to the topic can be found here, hope it helps!

 

[Guest quizesilver]

pls keep to the main section.

this is hand on. any sale will be remove.

[d0n]

think if the acrylic rod is shaped into rectangle, will have problem getting the light from the LEDs to reflect on all the 4 sides of the rectangle leh

[fnee]

okay i think i've all the info to start making my angel eye. but... have a few questions to ask first.

 

1. it's possible to use a small hand saw to make the cuts?

 

2. round or multiple sided arcylic rods refract light better? the honda crx guy used hex-shaped rods.

 

3. after getting the round shape that you want, is a clamp needed to hold the rod in place in order to drill the hole? seems quite a hard task to hole a the drill with one hand, the ring with the other, and do precision drilling (5mm hole in a 8mm rod).

 

4. high temp epoxy can be used to hole the lights in place in the headlight unit right? or are there any alternatives that can survive the heat?

 

once i can get the answers, i can start on my own DIY project! hopefully cost less than $20. and i actually broke a few clips on my headlight while dismentaling it for my pole light project ytd night. ):

[ah786786]

Originally posted by fnee@Nov 7 2006, 07:10 PM

hmm fuse them? how to do so? lol.

 

anyway i dropped by sim lim tower after work just now and bought 2 white LEDs. they sell those ready made kind with resistors attached for $2 per LED.

 

i asked for the brightest kind alr. but still not really bright eh. hmm..

to be brighter,use lesser resistance....standard to play safe is 470ohms,fusing is u fuse the +ve line ,so add a fuse at the +ve line going to ur leds...

[ah786786]

Yes hand saws are good also,the shape of the rod does not really matter,cos the sawing is the part which helps the refraction of the lights....if using rectangle shape,i guess using led at each coners would be good....

[yanuk]

1. it's possible to use a small hand saw to make the cuts?

Yes. Control the force downwards and just 1 pull is enough.. you are not cutting the rod into 2. Just a make a mark in it.

 

2. round or multiple sided arcylic rods refract light better? the honda crx guy used hex-shaped rods.

Dunno.. i only have round rods. if you get hex rods then we can compare.

 

3. after getting the round shape that you want, is a clamp needed to hold the rod in place in order to drill the hole? seems quite a hard task to hole a the drill with one hand, the ring with the other, and do precision drilling (5mm hole in a 8mm rod).

if you have a vice/clamp is good. But I did it free hand also. DIY tip: drill a smaller pilot hole first and end off with the 5mm bit.

 

4. high temp epoxy can be used to hole the lights in place in the headlight unit right? or are there any alternatives that can survive the heat?

I'm using high temp RTV silicone. enough to hold it there and in the case I need to tear it off urgently, it isn't that adhesive. Double edge sword.

 

Inline fuse sells for ~$1 or less in SLT. Get a 200mA fuse will be good enough. Mine's running unfused though.

[yanuk]

Originally posted by william_liu@Nov 9 2006, 12:48 AM

A related link to the topic can be found here, hope it helps!

 

any idea there to buy the EL wires as described locally?

[ah786786]

can try sim lim sqauere basement,shop name if not wrong is UVrium....

[Splatted]

so cool, and not expensive, so no big loss if you stuff it up trying. Well done

[ah786786]

Yes,got to soucre for stuff urself rather than just buying,in this sense,when doing this DIY we know the prices,and roughly need to know some basic wiring ,den gd liao.....

 

I think usually ,the things are ex due to the workmanship...

[kurarensu]

btw i intend to go get the stuffs tml or so..

 

this is my list.. nid other things, pls help to indicate:

 

- Acrylic/Plastic Rod

- 2 x 3.6V LED with 20mA Purple LEDs

- 270 Ohms Resistor

- Wires

- Reflective Tape (where to get it? i dont want to go bike shop)

- Heat Shrink Tube

 

most likely gonna connect in series.. easier.. den wrap the heat shrink tube on the leds

[fnee]

Originally posted by kurarensu@Nov 11 2006, 03:57 PM

btw i intend to go get the stuffs tml or so..

 

this is my list.. nid other things, pls help to indicate:

 

- Acrylic/Plastic Rod

- 2 x 3.6V LED with 20mA Purple LEDs

- 270 Ohms Resistor

- Wires

- Reflective Tape (where to get it? i dont want to go bike shop)

- Heat Shrink Tube

 

most likely gonna connect in series.. easier.. den wrap the heat shrink tube on the leds

i'm interested to the materials too. maybe you wana go together or something..

 

anyway what is heatshrink thing you mentioned about?

 

you forgotten a switch in the list.

 

regarding reflective tape, holiday plaza in jb sells precut chrome rim tape. so maybe can consider using that. but that is if i go down holiday plaza then i'll buy la. lol. or else you can consider using white wire tape?

[ah786786]

If u 1 2 play safe to make ur stuff water proof,u can silicone them,where u going to get the stuff frm?Purple LEd i heard quite hard to find,the clsest i seen is the UVled or the pinkishred led.....

[kurarensu]

i going to get my items @ sim lim tower tml.. btw i nid 2 noe where can get reflective stickers/tape near that area.. purple leds or not nvm.. as long got blue n white.. i making for SP n rs125.. btw what u all use to "mould" the round shape? do u all really go n measure ur headlight n den get the same shape object n mould it? can share more info on this?.. my angel eye prject will start tml ^^,

[ah786786]

using oven,heat it,and bend,den heat again and bend again,make sure u bend nicely,take ur time,dun rush...cus everytime u take out to shape the rod,it hardens again fast,thus needs to be heated few times before getting the rite shape.

 

Yes best to measure the headlight perimeater,so it fits nicely and uniform on both sides....Best to sim lim on weekdays...most times i go there on sundays most shops clsed....

 

 

Good luck for ur project.....

[kurarensu]

Originally posted by ah786786@Nov 11 2006, 09:49 PM

using oven,heat it,and bend,den heat again and bend again,make sure u bend nicely,take ur time,dun rush...cus everytime u take out to shape the rod,it hardens again fast,thus needs to be heated few times before getting the rite shape.

 

Yes best to measure the headlight perimeater,so it fits nicely and uniform on both sides....Best to sim lim on weekdays...most times i go there on sundays most shops clsed....

 

 

Good luck for ur project.....

hmm.. wah if really close den i'm really suay.. btw i going regina to get some reflective stickers as well.. haha.. anyone noe whats the diameter of SP's headlight to fit in? i doing 4 my fren.. i dun haf bike @ the moment.. pls PM me

[yanuk]

Originally posted by kurarensu@Nov 11 2006, 11:02 PM

hmm.. wah if really close den i'm really suay.. btw i going regina to get some reflective stickers as well.. haha.. anyone noe whats the diameter of SP's headlight to fit in? i doing 4 my fren.. i dun haf bike @ the moment.. pls PM me

Just to answer some questions streaming into my PM.

Acrylic rods:

- My friend gave them to me. I believe you can buy them from bras basah art shops. So I really do not know where to buy them. Think they sell by the metre. My guess is that they sell at

 

 

What LEDs and resistor values:

- LEDs I used were rated for 5V, If your LEDs run white at first them slowly turn purplish, it means that your LEDs are burning out. This implies you're supplying in too much current, use a higher resistor value. I'm using 300+ Ohms. I forgot exact number as everything is heatshrinked and cover up already. Try to use 1 watt resistors if possible. I'm using 1/2watts and they run a bit hot.

 

Where to buy resistors/LEDs:

Sim Lim Towers (note: Towers not Sqaure) usually on the 3rd floor where they sell a lot of components. Basement sells it too. Buy more resistors to fiddle the correct brightness/value you want. They are cheap. If you want to use mine as a reference, get 330ohms. Should be about there. Best is to read up on the various LED diy FAQs in here. Limsteel posted quite a good one iirc.

 

Misc stuff:

You can add a switch if you want and also, remember to insert the switch/fuse or other cutoff device along the +ve line.

 

Heating/Bending:

If you find that the ROD hardens too fast even before you mould it, then you need to heat it up longer. It should be nice and flexible for a whole minute or 2 for you to bend, adjust and hold in place.

[yanuk]

reflective stickers:

art friend/spot light/daiso also selling. sold in rolls like scotch tape for gift wrapping.

[kurarensu]

thx.. i go see ltr..

 

3.6V LED with 20mA/1100MCD with 220Ohmz +-5% resistor.. shld b ok la hor? i follow the video..

 

i like the 30kMCD leds leh.. super bright n chio.. duno they got sell anot.. i duno what volt n stuffs to use

[MaTrIx87]

guys i juz did mine already and installed on and works lyk a charm, used red leds though, 4 led bulbs 5mm 1s = $4.80 ready connected to fit a 12v battery sim lim tower basement corner shop has it, acrylic rod bras basah, 6mm rod = $2.70, neigbourhood hardware shop, handsaw = $1 basically tt's abt it! happy diying!

[fnee]

Originally posted by M@+r!X@Nov 12 2006, 02:27 PM

guys i juz did mine already and installed on and works lyk a charm, used red leds though, 4 led bulbs 5mm 1s = $4.80 ready connected to fit a 12v battery sim lim tower basement corner shop has it, acrylic rod bras basah, 6mm rod = $2.70, neigbourhood hardware shop, handsaw = $1 basically tt's abt it! happy diying!

waa.. so fast. haha. art friend at taka has no more stocks for 8mm rods (just called and checked). maybe can try the bras basah one tomorrow. but 6mm gives you very little allowance for error eh |:

 

4 X 5mm led with resistors attached = $4.80? i bought mine at $2 each, kurarensu bought his for $3 each. wah the price fluctuate alot ah. haha..

[fnee]

yanuk: you are using LEDs that are rated 5v? most Leds are rated only 3+v, may i know where did you get yours from? maybe it's brighter than the 3v ones.

[MaTrIx87]

Originally posted by fnee@Nov 12 2006, 07:58 PM

waa.. so fast. haha. art friend at taka has no more stocks for 8mm rods (just called and checked). maybe can try the bras basah one tomorrow. but 6mm gives you very little allowance for error eh |:

 

4 X 5mm led with resistors attached = $4.80? i bought mine at $2 each, kurarensu bought his for $3 each. wah the price fluctuate alot ah. haha..

tt y i went to the shop at the basement the 1.20 set includes the 5mm led with a positive n negative wire, resistor already connected, with an insulating shrink sleeve covering the entire top part of the wire (the part which holds the resistor and connecting the wires and bulb)

 

oh n it is almost impossible to drill a hole in a 6mm rod coz if u do u only have 0.5mm remaining on each side of the road tt's y i didnt drill any hole, i didnt use the 8mm rod coz i tink tt it is slightly too thick, all i did was simple wrap aluminium foil at the tip holding the bulb and the rod and tape it up

[yanuk]

looks like everyone went to art friend to buy up all the 8mm rods liao.. hahahah..

 

I bought my 5V LEDs from 3rd floor shop called sun light (should be sun light...) it is on the LEFT of Kai Chin (Note: there's 2 Kai Chin on 3rd floor).

 

Hey how long are the rods that you guys bought at art friend? $6.70/m sounds very cheap!

 

M@+r!X: you remember the shop name where you bought the resistor ready LEDs?

 

I think the LED price fluctuate because there is a sudden increase of demand for it. I should collect commission from them liao.. hahahah

 

Another PM question to share.

 

The angel eyes works best with bike that can switch between parking/pole lights and main headlights. Basically pre-97 registered bike that have headlight switches. post 97 bikes have their headlights on by law.